Cannabis plant honey hiker

ABSTRACT

‘Honey Hiker’ is new  Cannabis  plant variety that has a combination of characteristics that include high potency, sweet aroma, greater tolerance for fungal diseases, and more vigor as compared to the parents, the closest varieties.

Genus and species: The Cannabis variety of this invention is botanically identified as Cannabis sativa.

Variety denomination: The variety denomination is ‘Honey Hiker’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention refers to a new plant variety of Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) named ‘Honey Hiker’. The new Cannabis variety is product of a planned and controlled breeding program for new Cannabis varieties. The objective of the breeding program is to select new Cannabis varieties with a combination of desired vigor, potency, aroma, bud structure/form, yield, and tolerance or resistance to diseases.

The new Cannabis variety is a product of a planned breeding program intended to combine some of the desirable characteristics of two existing varieties: Retro Boogie (Cannabis indica) and Long Bottom Leaf (Cannabis sativa). The variety arose from a cross between the parental varieties; using Long Bottom Leaf as the pollen donor. The parental cross was made in April 2017. Single plants were selected and reproduced by cuttings using traditional horticultural plugs, trays and domes. One of the reproduced plants showed pronounced vigor and was selected as and named ‘Honey Hiker’. This plant was transferred to the production on July 2017 and has been asexually reproduced by cuttings since that time. The distinctive characteristics of the variety are stable through successive generations.

For asexual reproduction, axillary branches of the plant were excised from the mother plant. The cuttings were treated with indole 3 butyric acid; the cuttings were allowed to root over a period of three weeks at a temperature of 77 degrees F., relative humidity of 60%-80% and constant illumination at an intensity of 100 PPFD.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Honey Hiker’ which in combination distinguish this Cannabis plant as a new and distinct variety, as compared to the parents, the closet varieties:

-   -   1. The new variety has higher potency as compared to the         parents, the closest varieties.     -   2. The new variety has a sweet aroma as compared to the earthy         or spicy aroma in the parents.     -   3. The new variety has a greater tolerance for fungal diseases         such as powdery mildew.     -   4. The new variety has more vigor as compared to the parents,         the closest varieties.

The traits of the new variety was tested at 2600 West Barberry Pl. Denver, Colo., U.S.A.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the appearance of the new Cannabis variety when the plants were at 63 days after flower initiation. The colors in the photographs are depicted as nearly true as is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors as shown in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description.

FIG. 1 shows a branch of a plant of the new variety.

FIG. 2 shows a single plant of the new variety.

FIG. 3 shows flowers of a plant of the new variety.

FIG. 4 shows a dried bud of a plant of the new variety.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description is based on observations made in February of 2016 on plants produced according to an ordinary growth cycle. However, the new Cannabis variety ‘Honey Hiker’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new variety may vary with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, light intensity and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The photographs and description are taken from plants grown at the 2600 West Barberry Pl. in Denver, Colo., U.S.A. Following rooting, the cuttings were transplanted into Hydroton, and were grown for approximately 6 weeks or until roots emerged. The plants were then allowed to grow additional 9 weeks. During growth, all plants were fed and watered with nutrients from the Botanicare Kind line. Carbon dioxide concentration was measured and supplemented as required, between 900-1500 ppm. Vegetative growth was at a temperature of 78, and relative humidity of 45 with constant illumination of 600 PPFD provided by 600 W Metal Halide grow lights. After adequate vegetative growth had been attained, flowering was induced by changing the photoperiod to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness

Plants were observed on day 63 after the flower induction and the botanical description thereof is provided below. Characteristics described represent those which are typical for the new variety. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for 12 typical plants and plant parts. The actual measurements of any individual plant of plant parts, or any group of plants of plant parts, may vary from the stated averages.

-   Plant description: -   I. General:

Parental Check Variety variety Parental variety (Cannabis Characteristic New Variety (Female plant) (Pollen donor) Sativa) Plant life forms Herbaceous Herbaceous Herbaceous Plant Herbaceous Plant Plant Plant Plant growth habit Upright, tap- Upright, tap- Upright, tap- Upright, tap- rooted annual rooted annual rooted annual rooted annual plant plant plant plant Plant origin F1 hybrid F1 Cannabis F1 hybrid between F1 hybrid between two Subspecies (G- two Cannabis between two Cannabis 13 × Subspecies (SFV Cannabis Subspecies Hashplant) OG Kush × Jack's Subspecies ((G-13 × Cleaner 2) (Lambs Bread × Hashplant) × Sour Diesel) (SFV OG Kush × Jack's Cleaner 2) Plant propagation Asexual Asexual Asexual Asexual Propagation ease Easy¹ Easy Moderate² Moderate Height Variable; 1 Variable; 1 Variable; 1 meter Variable; 1 (Unit: m or cm) meter meter meter Width Variable; Variable; 0.75 Variable; 0.75 Variable; 0.75 (Unit: m or cm) 0.75 meters meters meters meters Plant vigor High High Medium High Time to Harvest 18-20 weeks 18-20 weeks 18-20 weeks 18-20 weeks (Seed to Harvest) Resistance to pests or No No No No diseases? Is this plant a No No No No Genetically Modified Organism? ¹Easy refers to plants that don't require any special products, chemicals or hormones for rooting. Roots will also show up within 10-14 days. ²Moderate refers to plants that may take 14-21 days with an increase in rooting after additional hormone or nutrient has been introduced.

-   II. Leaf/foliage:

Parental variety (Female Parental variety Characteristic New Variety plant) (Pollen donor) Check Variety Leaf arrangement Alternate Alternate Alternate Alternate (Phyllotaxy) Leaf shape Palmately Palmately Palmately Palmately compound compound compound compound Leaf structure Palmately Palmately Palmately Palmately compound compound compound compound Leaf margins Coarsely Coarsely Coarsely serrated Coarsely serrated serrated pointing towards serrated pointing pointing tip of leaflet pointing towards tip of towards tip towards tip of leaflet of leaflet leaflet Leaf hairs Absence Absence Absence Absence (Presence or absence) Leaf length with 20 16 16 18 petiole at maturity (Unit: cm) Petiole length at 12 10 11 12 maturity (Unit: cm) Stipule length at  1  1  1  1 maturity (Unit: cm) Stipule shape Long, bulbous Long, Long, bulbous Long, bulbous bases with bulbous bases with bases with acuminate bases with acuminate acuminate (tapering acuminate (tapering concave (tapering concave to (tapering to apex) shape concave to apex) shape concave to apex) shape apex) shape Number of leaflets 5-9 5-9 5-9 5-9 Middle largest  8  6  8  8 (longest) leaflet length (Unit: cm) Middle largest  2  2  2  2 (longest) leaflet width (Unit: cm) Middle largest 4:1 3:1 4:1 4:1 (longest) leaflet length/width ratio Number teeth of 12 13 11 13 middle leaflet (average) Leaf (upper side) color 141C 141C 141C 141C (RHS³ No.) Leaf (lower side) color 143A 143A 143A 143A (RHS No.) Leaf glossiness Medium Medium Medium Medium Vein/midrib shape Even, not Even, not Even, not Even, not (general description) alternate. alternate. alternate. Slightly alternate. Slightly points Slightly points towards tip Slightly points towards tip just points just like the towards tip just like the towards tip serrations like the serrations just like the serrations serrations Vein/midrib color Light green Light green Light green Light green (RHS 140B) (RHS 140B) (RHS 140B) (RHS 140B) Aroma Sweet Earthy Herbal/Spicy Gas/Fuel, (general description) Earthy 3RHS stands for Royal Horticultural Colour Chart, which can be found at: http://rhscforgfree.com

-   III. Stem:

Parental variety Parental (Female variety Characteristic New Variety plant) (Pollen donor) Check Variety Stem shape hollow, large, hollow, hollow, large, hollow, large, (general description) rugose, large, rugose, rugose, rugose, punctuate, punctuate, punctuate, punctuate, minutely minutely minutely minutely glandular, ribbed glandular, ribbed glandular, glandular, with ribs running with ribs running ribbed with ribbed with parallel to stem parallel to stem ribs running ribs running parallel to parallel to stem stem Stem diameter at 1.25 1 1.5 1 base (Unit: cm) Stem color 144D 144D 144D 144D (RHS No.)

-   IV. Inflorescence (female/pistillate flowers):

Parental Parental New Variety variety (Female variety Characteristic (Female plant) plant) (Pollen donor) Check Variety Flowering (blooming) Dioecious. Dioecious. Dioecious. Dioecious. habit (General Forms a tall Forms a tall Small description) interconnected interconnected inflorescences, cola or terminal cola or terminal tightly packed bud bud against stem and separated all along plants branches. Proportion of female 50% N/A N/A N/A plants (50% or less?) Inflorescence Above Above Above Above position Flower arrangement Overlapping Overlapping Overlapping Overlapping Number of flowers 240 190 210 200 per plant Flower shape sessile and are sessile and are sessile and are sessile and are borne in borne in borne in borne in racemes (an racemes (an racemes (an racemes (an indeterminate, indeterminate, indeterminate, indeterminate, branched type of branched type of branched type of branched type of inflorescence inflorescence inflorescence inflorescence bearing flowers bearing flowers bearing flowers bearing flowers with short floral with short floral with short floral with short floral stalks called stalks called stalks called stalks called pedicels along pedicels along pedicels along pedicels along the axis). Each the axis). Each the axis). Each the axis). Each flower has a flower has a flower has a flower has a small green small green small green small green bract enclosing bract enclosing bract enclosing bract enclosing the ovary with the ovary with the ovary with the ovary with two long, two long, two long, two long, slender stigmas slender stigmas slender stigmas slender stigmas projecting well projecting well projecting well projecting well above the bract. above the bract. above the bract. above the bract. And the flower And the flower And the flower And the flower looks urceolate looks urceolate looks urceolate looks urceolate (urn-shaped). (urn-shaped). (urn-shaped). (urn-shaped). Flower (individual 3 3 3 3 pistillate) length (Unit: mm) Flower (compound 2 2 1.5 2 cyme) diameter (Unit: cm) Corolla Round Round Round Round (general description) Corolla Color 142C 142C 142C 142C (RHS No.) Bract shape Round at the Round at the Round at the Round at the (general description) base but tapered base but tapered base but tapered base but tapered towards the tip towards the tip towards the tip towards the tip Bract color 142C 142C 142C 142C (RHS No.) Calyx shape Round Round Round Round (general description) Calyx color 142C 142C 142C 142C (RHS No.) Stigma shape Curved and Curved and Curved and Curved and (general description) wavy, thin wavy, thin wavy, thin wavy, thin Stigma length 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 (Unit: cm) Stigma color closely closely closely closely (RHS No.) resembling an resembling an resembling an resembling an off white or off white or off white or off white or NN155D NN155D NN155D NN155D Trichome shape Glandular, thus Glandular, thus Glandular, thus Glandular, thus (general description) it has a stalk that it has a stalk that it has a stalk that it has a stalk that supports supports supports supports secretory head secretory head secretory head secretory head Trichome color (RHS Mature cap = Mature cap = Mature cap = Mature cap = No.) N172C N172C N172C N172C Stalk = Stalk = Stalk = Stalk = Clear/Translucent Clear/Translucent Clear/Translucent Clear/Translucent closely closely closely closely resembling an resembling an resembling an resembling an off white or off white or off white or off white or NN155D NN155D NN155D NN155D Terminal bud shape Rounded top Large Small, rounded Round but with (general description) buds with interconnected and slightly flat textured slightly fox cola or terminal on top. projections (fox tailing bud. Conical tails). Spikey Terminal bud 142C 142C 142C 142C color (RHS No.) Pedicel absence absence absence absence (Presence or absence) Staminate shape N/A N/A Round sacks of N/A modular composition like the hand of a banana but originating from a set of stems similar to grapes Pollen description N/A N/A Typical yellow N/A pollen with musty smell Seed description Starts off white Starts off white N/A Starts off white and turns to and turns to and turns to Brown with Brown with Brown with black or dark black or dark black or dark brown stripes brown stripes brown stripes Petal description absence absence absence absence Tetrahydro- 25-28% THC 22-24% THC N/A (male) 20-24% THC cannabinolic acid (THC) content

-   V. Other characteristics and culture:

Parental variety Parental New Variety (Female variety Characteristic (Female plant) plant) (Pollen donor) Check Variety Time period and Blooms in 9-11 Blooms in 9- Blooms in 9-11 Blooms in 9-11 condition of weeks after 11 weeks weeks after weeks after flowering/blooming cutting-and- after cutting- cutting-and- cutting-and- rooting when and-rooting rooting when rooting when more than 12 when more more than 12 more than 12 hours light is than 12 hours light is hours light is applied to induce hours light is applied to applied to induce flowering applied to induce flowering induce flowering flowering Hardiness of plant High High Medium Medium Breaking action⁴ High High Medium Medium Rooting rate after 9 days 9 days 9 days 9 days cutting/cloning (under certain or specific condition) ⁴refers to how strong the stem is against the breakage such as fibrous, strong, flexible, resistant to breakage, etc. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Cannabis plant having the characteristics substantially as described and illustrated herein. 